The eyes of eons. [Slow Editing]

Chapter 8

     Back in the living room, I jammed the disc into the system and froze prepared to hear something tuneful. It started with “Rhapsody in blue.” I looked up searching where the sound was coming from. It wasn’t loud, but seemed to invade the room from everywhere. Pretty modern - I admitted still tasting the melody. For about ten minutes I've been standing and listening this cabaret like sounds that were flirting with my ears going up and down like waves. On the second song “Oh lady, be good” I embraced myself and started strolling about the hall. In search of more comfort, I landed on the sofa and slide all the way deep into the seat. “Soon” made me to lift my legs and hug them closer to my chest. On “The man I love” I closed my eyes and penetrated with all my consciousness into the lyrics. 

     Softest violin sounds allured me and it all transformed in front of my eyes. I wasn’t sitting in the living room any longer. I found myself in a dark restaurant allowance with a Jazz band playing on a small stage. A lady in a silver sparkly artistic dress was singing the song holding the microphone with one hand. Her voice was different from the record on the disc, livelier and closer. I examined around me, people were sitting at the tables enjoying the performance and calmly talking. 

     I was by myself at a little table for two. There stood a vase with roses in the middle of the table and a full glass of champagne. I smiled and checked my gown. I had a short sparkly dress of golden color, too flashy for my taste, I must add. My hair were curled in a fashion of nineteen thirties. I touched my lips and on the tips printed a red color of the lipstick. “Huh?” I took a napkin and wiped it off. 

     The song was over and my attention switched to the stage again. The lady pronounced the name of the next one “Moonlight in Vermont” half turned to the piano player and whispered something to her. My mouth dropped open when I saw Agnes. She was sitting behind the piano. When our gazes met she winked at me. In a moment tender sounds began caressing the air again.  Song about home, for me...the bass added fulness to the melody and the singer started with velvet voice giving me a tour in my memory about my beloved places.

     I didn’t expect this. I wasn’t prepared to sink into reviewing my heart condition so fundamentally. I wanted to understand about Alexandre and she brought something only partially related to the problem. I huffed supporting my chin with my hands and for three good songs stayed deaf to any noises around me. 

     When I blinked the stage got completely deserted and Agnes disappeared altogether with the performers. I didn’t want to stay alone and decided to find the way outside. As I stood up, as usually, Agnes appeared out of a thin air and sat at the next single chair.

     “Yes,” she disapprovingly shook her head, “too much red.” She said and took a napkin from her side of the table and passed it to me. Gladly I took it and removed the rest of red thing off my lips. I jammed the napkin in my fist and turned my face to her. “That’s better,” she approved.

     “So where are we?”

     “New York,” she smiled. “Go take a look outside.”

     I jumped up and hurried outside as the restaurant didn’t have windows in the hall. I ran by the reception booth and straight into the doors. I was so curious, I thought I would explode. But when the street met me, I creased my brows and met Manhattan of modern days. “Phee!” I was hoping to find antique autos and crowds dressed in sophisticated attirs, instead of several fancy looking cars parked by the entrance and dirty yellow taxies honking to a slow pedestrian at the crossing. The doors opened behind me and Agnes’s arm hugged my shoulders.

     “Let’s take a walk,” she offered. “The air is so sweet today.”

     Indeed, the air was filled with honey like sweetness. It reminded me spring in the mountains just here it seemed much warmer, and of course, without that freshness of forest.